xsquidgator
Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 835
A week ago I loaded my first ever reloads on my own equipment (Lee Classic Turret kit), a dozen rounds of .38 Special using 3.1gr of Winchester 231 powder and 148 gr lead button-nose wadcutters. These shot fine if a bit light in a Rossi R462 .357 magnum this weekend. This was using a friend's powder, primers, and the lead bullets.
I went and bought my own powder (a pound of Unique) and some CCI primers, and made my 2nd ever batch of .38 special wadcutters tonight, a box of 45 rounds. But, I have a little doubt about this batch now that it's done and would like to ask for some advice.
I loaded this batch with 4.4 grains of Unique powder using a Lee auto-powder measure, OAL is 1.295" per the Speer manual.
After I was done, it occurred to me to look at the other 2 reloading manuals I have at home. There's a problem in that these manuals disagree with each other, and the 4.4 grains of Unique I put in are significantly over the max grains of unique for two of my three reloading manuals as shown below:
STARTING AND MAX UNIQUE LOADS FOR 148 gr WADCUTTER LEAD
Lee 2nd Ed --> 3.2 and 3.2 grains
Lyman 3rd Ed--> 3.7 and 4.2 grains
Speer #13 ----> 4.5 and 5.1 grains
I'll be shooting this batch through the same Rossi .357 magnum revolver. If this was you, would you worry about shooting a 4.4 grain Unique load like this, if the Lee and Lyman guides indicate using less powder? Based on my noobish experience level I'd guess it'll be ok in a 357, but I don't really have the experience to tell. This is the first time I've reloaded with Unique and only my second batch reloading at all.
I went and bought my own powder (a pound of Unique) and some CCI primers, and made my 2nd ever batch of .38 special wadcutters tonight, a box of 45 rounds. But, I have a little doubt about this batch now that it's done and would like to ask for some advice.
I loaded this batch with 4.4 grains of Unique powder using a Lee auto-powder measure, OAL is 1.295" per the Speer manual.
After I was done, it occurred to me to look at the other 2 reloading manuals I have at home. There's a problem in that these manuals disagree with each other, and the 4.4 grains of Unique I put in are significantly over the max grains of unique for two of my three reloading manuals as shown below:
STARTING AND MAX UNIQUE LOADS FOR 148 gr WADCUTTER LEAD
Lee 2nd Ed --> 3.2 and 3.2 grains
Lyman 3rd Ed--> 3.7 and 4.2 grains
Speer #13 ----> 4.5 and 5.1 grains
I'll be shooting this batch through the same Rossi .357 magnum revolver. If this was you, would you worry about shooting a 4.4 grain Unique load like this, if the Lee and Lyman guides indicate using less powder? Based on my noobish experience level I'd guess it'll be ok in a 357, but I don't really have the experience to tell. This is the first time I've reloaded with Unique and only my second batch reloading at all.